


Alien: Vidulus

by book_lover_dragon



Category: Alien Series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alien AU, Alternate Universe, F/M, Fantastic Beasts characters in space, I tried suspense but I'm not sure how it turned out, If you don't like Alien don't read this, Newtina Appreciation Month, Other, Spoilers for all Alien movies, There will be some blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 09:28:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14931630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/book_lover_dragon/pseuds/book_lover_dragon
Summary: When explore ship Vidulus intercepted an unknown transmission, the crew goes to investigate without knowing what are they walking into...





	Alien: Vidulus

**Author's Note:**

> So I just wanted to write an Alien AU for Newtina Appreciation Month's second week and it turned out as this long mess. If you don't like Alien series or plan to watch them I don't recommend reading this. The way story proceeds can count as spoilers from the movies. Also English is not my native language so my grammar and story telling is probably off. So don't be afraid to point out my mistakes.

 

 

 

‘’So anybody feeling like this time we’re gonna actually meet some aliens?’’ Queenie asked, kinda hoping a little joking would make Jacob feel little better.

 But the person she wanted least answered her, ‘’As always, nobody except you darling. This will be the same as the others, scientists and the robot will take some dirt and water, while two soldiers protecting them from nothing. Then they will come back to _Vidulus_ , run some tests, find nothing interesting, pack up and go back to earth.’’ His kinda sidekick Red agreed with his annoying laugh.

 ‘’If you’re so bored of this journeys, I can write a recommendation letter for you. I’m sure the company can find a much more interesting job for you than working in here Abernathy.’’ said second captain and head security officer, Percival Graves.

 ‘’I heard the RN-243’s mines are quite fun to work in.’’ This shutted up Abernathy.

  Tina, the second security officer who has an antipathy towards Abernathy since she met him, hid her smile in her coffee mug. While science officer Newt answered Queenie’s question. ‘’The planet we are about to reach is a very cold and icy planet. So even if we actually meet one I doubt they’ll invite us for dinner. Their hard life conditions probably made them hostile or at least leery towards strangers.’’

  ‘’So, you say we can actually shoot something?’’ asked Abernathy.

  ‘’Who said _you_ can shoot anything?’’ Tina shot at him, then added, ‘’We are not shooting anything as long as it attacks us. This is a discover mission not an attack mission.’’ after Picquery’s look.

  ‘’Well if we want to find out which one, we better start to work.’’ said captain Picquery and head off to talk with Mother, after the ship’s android Theseus pointed her call for the meeting.

* * *

 

 ‘’We didn’t reach the planet SB-201 yet. There is still ten months worth of way ahead,’’ Queenie said, then checked all the results again, because this shouldn’t be happening.

 ‘’What do you mean we have ten months ahead?’’ Graves asked, ‘’Mother should’ve been wait until there is one week left for arriving.’’

 ‘’I just say what I see sir,’’ Queenie responded. Graves opened his mouth but Captain Picquery came in before he or anybody else on the bridge could say anything.

 The moment Captain Picquery came in, everyone in the bridge turned their heads to her direction. She took a deep breath first. ‘’I talked with Mother, she says there is a transmission intercepted and she woke us up to investigate. Figure out what it means and sent from who.’’

 ‘’What?’’ Jacob said in disbelief, his face was still looked green since he threw up after he woke up from the hypersleep.‘’ But we are still too far from the unknown territories. All these planets have been discovered. If there were alien life forms here that intelligent enough to send a transmission, they should’ve been found by now.’’

 ‘’Maybe it's an S.O.S. from a lost ship.’’ Queenie voiced her thoughts in the ongoing silence.

 ‘’It is not uncommon to small explore or cargo ships to get lost. Maybe this one is one of them. Something happened on the way back home and they landed on this planet, sending S.O.S. and waiting.’’

 ‘’But since when? If this is a lost ship, the crew may be dead by now.’’ Tina said with her arms at her chest. Her silhouette is slim in front of the computers.‘’And if it isn’t a lost human ship, what is it? How nobody noticed this before?’’

 ‘’We need to get down there and find out,’’ said Picquery. ‘’Get us down there,’’ she ordered to pilot Jacob and his co-pilot Queenie. ‘’And you two,’’ Abernathy and Red turned to the captain, ‘’go check if everything is where they are supposed to be. I want to be sure everything is where they supposed ro be.’’ Abernathy and Red left the bridge without saying anything.

 ‘’Any information about this planet?’’ she asked the android. ‘’With proper equipment a survivable planet. If it is really an S.O.S. from a lost human ship they could be still alive, depends on how long they are trapped here,’’ said Theseus and started to play the transmission; a scratchy, ragged voice. ‘’I can’t understand anything.’’

 ‘’How long will it take us to arrive the planet?’’ Graves asked. Queenie answered him. ‘’Less than 12 hours, sir. But we might have to wait for a while, depends on the weather.’’ Graves nodded and left the bridge with Tina following him after.

* * *

 On her way back to the bridge after the talk and security orders for the trip on the planet, Tina decided to a short visit to science division. Newt was about to head off to the bridge as well when Tina arrived. They started to walk together.

 ‘’So what do you think about this call? Do you think it is just a lost ship or an alien life form?’’ Tina asked.

 ‘’Well I can’t really be objective about it, don’t you think? I’m constantly leaving earth to find extraterrestrial beings,’’ said Newt with a smile. ‘’Picquery seems to think differently though. I think she is just waiting for it to be turned out as a wreckage of a ship.’’

 ‘’I can’t really blame her. I agree with her on this.’’ then added, ‘’I always thought she is a more logical scientist than you, Newt. You always wait for someone to show up and… I don’t know. Do you really believe someone’s out there?’’

 ‘’Yes, because it is the reason why we actually do this trips. To categorize new planets and search for undiscovered life forms.’’ Before she could answer him a loud rumble stopped her and a black cat ran away, passing between them. Followed by a white husky but he stopped when he saw humans, instead of running after the cat.

 ‘’Well, someone’s after mischief, _again_.’’ Tina watched the cat till it dissappeared from her sight, she then turned to the dog, ‘’But you were trying to stop him huh, Dougle? Good boy!’’ Dougle was so happy that he saw Newt and Tina, he had forgotten to chase after the ship's cat, Mauler. He then followed them walking closer to Newt, his favorite.

 They entered the bridge to find Queenie on the pilot seat, alone in the bridge. ‘’Hey,’’ Queenie greeted them. ‘’Jacob left to rest and Theseus went with him, to make sure he is okay and give him some meds.’’

 ‘’He never been this bad before after waking up,’’ said Newt. ‘’Maybe it’s because we woke up earlier than we should.’’

 ‘’Could be,’’ said Queenie, with a sad voice but cheered up a little after Dougle came to her side. It was his job to keep humans happy after all.

 ‘’So, Newt?’’ she asked, stroking Dougle, ’’Any chance we are actually meeting someone this time?’’

 ‘’There is a chance as always but Captain and Tina are choose to ignore that possibility,’’ he said.

 ‘’They think its just a wreckage.’’

 ‘’Well we don’t have to wait much to find out. The weather looks good. Much better than expected actually. We can land in like, four hours.’’

 ‘’You said we could have to wait more than 12 hours just two hours ago,’’ Tina said.

 ‘’I know what I said but the storm on our way seems to passed,’’ Queenie answered. ‘’If the storm doesn’t start again we could land right in.’’ Tina nodded.

 Theseus came into the bridge and Dougle shooked his tail at him. To Dougle everything moving was a possible friend.

 ‘’Jacob is resting with the serum I made. He will feel better when it’s finished,’’ Queenie exhaled and visibly relaxed at his words.

 ‘’Worried for your significant other?’’ Newt asked Queenie, smiling.

 ‘’Who uses that word anymore?’’ she said to him, making a face. ‘‘But yeah, this time he really scared me.’’

 ‘’He is in good hands though,’’ said Tina, remembering all the injuries she had, cared by the synthetic. ‘’Theseus is a great doctor. I sometimes trust him more than human doctors to be honest.’’

 Theseus felt pleasure at Tina’s words, the satisfaction of serving, while Newt felt displeasure though he couldn’t point out exactly why.

* * *

 

‘’Hold on people this is gonna be a bumpy ride!’’ said Jacob just a moment before everyone jumped in their seats.

They were in a small transport vehicle, piloting by Jacob. Everyone except Red and Queenie was in the group landing on the planet. The captain was sitting with the pilot while rest of the crew were sitting at the back. Abernathy clinging to his seat for his dear life while the others, two soldiers, a science officer, and synthetic was silently waiting for it to be over.    

In fact, science officer was unaffected by the shaking as always, Tina noticed once more.

 When the shaking was visibly over and even Abernathy was more relaxed, the pilot announced that they will be on the ground in a couple minutes. Tina stretched her head towards the little console room and tried to get a glimpse of the planet from the window but all she saw was tones of gray.

 The transport landed on and everybody started to get dressed. Tina stuck her short curls in her hat and checked her weapons once more. It wouldn’t hurt to be extra careful.

 Everybody except Jacob suited up and left the vehicle. Their little group started to walk to the source of the transmission. Abernathy started to grumble shortly after they started their walk.

 ‘’Why I have to come with you?’’ he said. ‘’I’m not a scientist or anything. What I’m supposed to do?’’

 ‘’Didn’t you said you wanted to things get interesting?’’ Tina said, looking around in this strange world they were walking. Everything from the trees to mountains was tones of gray and dark green and uncomfortably quiet.

 Graves shushed them both before they start a fight. Jacob choose that moment to join the conversation.

 ‘’There is not any life form or movement caught by the radar so far. And you’re close to arriving to the destination.’’

 And he was right. The group turned a corner and there it was, the wreckage.

 ‘’Do you guys see this?’’ someone asked the silly question but Tina wasn’t sure who was. She was just looking at the ship that lost its shining bronze color to rust... An explore ship, just like _Vidulus_. But an older model.

 Picquery turned to the group, ‘’Any thoughts?’’.

 Abernathy felt a chill going over him before answering, ‘’The ship is almost unharmed,I mean all the collapsing looks like happened because of the rust. I doubt they crashed. Or they landed but something went wrong then they couldn’t get up.’’ pointing at the place where the labs are, large and small holes were covering the walls.

 ‘’Maybe something went wrong at the lab and they stuck in here.

 ‘’But why they landed with the main ship in the first place?’’ Newt asked, ‘’It’s obviously an explore crew ship just like ours. Why they didn’t use the transport to land on the surface, get what you came to get and return to the ship after?’’

 ‘’The escape shuttle,’’ Tina pointed out. ‘’Maybe something really went wrong after the landing and they took the shuttle.’’

 ‘’The shuttle is for two. What happened to rest of the crew?’’ Newt continued to stare at the ship, thoughtful, he started to walk again. The group joined him.

* * *

 

 ‘’Hey, everything is alright?’’ Queenie asked. ‘’The storm is coming in again I don’t know how long it will last or how heavy it will be for sure, but it looks big. The contact might break off.’’

 Jacob’s sizzling voice came from the speaker, ‘’We are alright, the team found the wreckage they are about to get inside. I’m waiting in the transport alone, checking the radar constantly and stuff.’’

 Queenie hide her concern for her friends and Jacob. ‘’Okay. The storm has begun, I don’t know if our contact will be on but I’ll be-’’ before Queenie could finish her sentence the storm came over with thunders and the horrible waiting has begun.

* * *

 

 The rain started pouring when they entered the ship. ‘’We are in the ship,’’ said Picquery.

 ‘’Alright,’’ said Jacob, ‘’Everything here is still quiet.’’

 ‘’Everbody stay close.’’ Graves said. As the group entered the ship from the open bay door. He and Picquery were walking ahead. Newt and Abernathy in the middle then Tina and Theseus after them. But Theseus seemed to stop and look at the way they came. He thought he saw something moving.

 His suspicions confirmed with Jacob, ‘’Hey guys… The radar just detected a movement.’’

 ‘’Somewhere around the ship. I thought it was because of the storm but it’s not.’’ his voice wasn’t clear because of the storm.

 ‘’Be careful.’’

 

‘’Alright people,’’ Picquery started to walk again, ‘’ keep moving.’’ The group whose been petrified, continued to walk deeper in the darkness.

 The rainwater was pouring into the ship as small drops. The group had checked the lab and Abernathy was correct. There was a large and small holes where the wall and the ground met and it was continuing to go downwards.

 ‘’It’s not rust,’’ Newt said. ‘’It’s like some sort of acid, spilled everywhere… Ate through the ship’s hull.’’

 ‘’The usual amount of acid in a lab is not this much. Also not as strong as this,’’ said Theseus. Walking around the lab, looking for anything might tell something.

 ‘’They were doing some research apparently,’’ Picquery held out the file to Newt, ‘’About an Alien life form.’’

 Newt read the file while Picquery and Theseus looked for more clues. Tina and Graves shared a look but kept their spot. Abernathy was in shock, still can’t believing what’s happening.

 ‘’We better go to the bridge and look if the transmission sent from there,’’ said Tina,

 ‘’We still need to be sure if there are any survivors.’’

 ‘’I’ll come with you,’’ said Newt immediately, to Tina’s surprise. ‘’I can help you if there are any survivors or any footprints of this... _alien.''_

 ''Plus maybe we can find any other information about it.''

 ‘’Okay, then. Take Newt with you and meet us at the door in 20 minutes. Keep open your coms and be careful.’’ said Graves.

 Tina nodded and with Newt beside her, disappeared from their sight.

* * *

 

 Meanwhile, Jacob was trying to connect with the group again. With them inside the ship, he couldn’t hear them or spot them.  _At least Queenie is safe._ He thought, but he was worried sick for his friends. He could hear Newt saying ‘’ _Worrying means you suffer twice._ ‘’ but he couldn’t help it.

 It was helping him to forget his own fear for himself.

* * *

 

 Water was everywhere on the upper floor but the speed of the dripping had slowed down. Newt and Tina continued their walk as the rain ended completely. They entered the bridge, most of the screens are broken, cables are everywhere. Water still dripping from the cracked window.

 Newt tried to open any of the screens or any kind of device that could transmit a message, Tina stood behind him looking around with her weapon ready.

 ‘’So you think you found what you were hoping?’’ she said in a small voice, intended as a little joke but came so much bitter than she expected. ‘’If I’m being honest, I found what I’m sent to find,’’ he said and added quickly, ‘’An alien life form I mean. And a very dangerous one apparently.’’

 Tina looked at him with the corner of her eye but didn’t say anything, continuing to her watch she said, ‘’You think that or _they_ killed the whole crew?’’

 ‘’I think so… This could explain why the main ship is down here. They found an Alien and wanted to study it, so they tried to get one in the ship. Then it all went wrong…’’

 ‘’Well if we don’t want to join them better get hurry… Found anything yet?’’

 ‘’All the console is long dead and there is no other information about the creature. The transmission must be from somewhere else in the ship but I don’t think it’ll make a difference. We better go find the others.’’

 Newt got up and they headed for the way back, as they were middle of the ladder Newt stopped her.  ‘’ _Listen..._ ’’

 A cry then yells following it…

 They started to go down the ladders in hurry and saw there are no shadows on the bay door. They turned to the corridor leads to the lab but they stopped on their step, there it was... _alien._

 And it was _faceless_ apparently. No eyes, no nose… Just a mouth with teeth and a head nothing like Tina has ever seen. On a giant black body with a long spiky tail…

 Tina turned her weapon to it and before Newt could stop her she shot at it. _Attack if attacked lasts only this far..._ The monster let out a squeaky scream and tried to run at them. Tina was faster though, she shot it a till the creature fell down to the ground and then it started to… _melt?_

 ‘’Don’t get too close…’’ Newt said as she walked towards it, he tried to say something else but the lab's doors opened loudly and Graves stepped out holding his weapon up. After he saw Newt and Tina, he nearly yelled. ‘’What happened!?’’

 ‘’To you!?’’ Tina yelled back at him, ‘’We heard yelling from you and we saw _that_ coming to your way!’’ she pointed to the hole. ‘’I shot it and the bastard started to _melt.’’_

 Theseus and Picquery came into view with Abernathy between them exactly that moment with something on Abernathy’s face…

 ‘’What is THAT thing!?’’

 ‘’No time to explain we need to get him on the ship before he dies!’’ said Picquery.

 ‘’What about the quarantine laws? We can’t let him in before 24 hours!’’ Newt said.

 ‘’DO WHAT I SAID!’’ Picquery yelled and Newt obeyed and helped them to carry Abernathy while Tina and Graves took their spots for any other attack may be coming.

* * *

 

 As the team got closer to the transport Jacob finally got a read on them again.

 ‘’Where have you been? I can’t hear you since you went in the ship- Wha- Ready the med bay?’’ he saw them coming from the window they were getting closer at each step. ‘’Wait, did you find somebody?’’

 ‘’Just get ready the med bay and run the engine!’’ Picquery yelled on her com last time and quickened up her already fast pace. Nobody said anything, they just run to the vehicle with Abernathy on their arms and that thing on his face…

 ‘’What happened to him?!’’ Jacob said as he helped others to get in. ‘’We don’t know yet but our goal is to find out,’’ said Picquery as they laid down him on the bed. ‘’Go! Get us outta here!’’ said Picquery.

 ‘’What about the quarantine?’’ Jacob tried to object but he did what he had been ordered as Graves yelled him to do what Picquery told him to do.

* * *

 

 

 ‘’ _What happened?_ ’’ Queenie came in running and rushed to hug Jacob then Tina.

 ‘’We don’t know yet. Newt and I were investigating the bridge when we heard yelling. Then we arrived at the lab floor there was this thing… _an alien_ … Then I shot it and its blood started to melt the ship’s hull. Turns out its blood was acid… Then they come out of the lab with Abernathy, with _that_ on his face…’’

 ‘’I told you to keep your com open Tina,’’ Graves turned to scold her, ‘’I called you from the com and you didn’t answer!’’

 ‘’Are coms were open!’’ It was Tina’s turn, ‘’We heard nothing from the coms, we heard your yelling on our way down!’’

 ‘’It must be because of the weather,’’ Queenie tried to stop them, ‘’I couldn’t reach Jacob till you almost arrived to the ship. That rain disrupted our signals!’’

 ‘’SHUT IT UP!’’ Picquery yelled from the other side of the glass.

 Graves and Tina looked at each other as they were gonna kill each other but they controlled their rage.

 

 ‘’The fingers… holding his face really tight. We can’t cut them, they’ll probably bleed acid if they have any sort of relations.’’

 ‘’The thing paralyzes him then keeps him alive by that extension through his throat.’’

 ‘’We can’t take that thing off without killing him then…’’

* * *

 

 

 ‘’Why we don't just freeze him?’’ Red asked, looking around the people on the table. ‘’Put him on sleep and return to earth. Let the real doctors take care of him.’’

 ‘’We shouldn’t have taken him in at the first place! We broke the quarantine laws!’’ Tina said throwing her hands up, ‘’We can’t take it back to earth, what if it turns out like that bigger monster!’’

 ‘’Then what we should have? Left him there with that thing on?’’ said Graves.

 ‘’It’s not like he is free of it now!’’

 ‘’ENOUGH, I’m the captain of this ship and the head science officer. I decided that we should get him on the ship and try to help him and get that thing to earth for research!

I took the responsibility and the risk. Anybody have a problem with it?’’

 Everbody including Tina was in silence. ‘’Good. Theseus keep an eye on him and tell me and Newt if there is any change in his condition.’’

* * *

 

 

 Newt was at the lab, still examining the files they took from the ship. They weren’t exactly offering a nice treatment or a medicine for Abernathy but they were offering some useful information about it and… it wasn’t very soothing for them.

 The door opened and Theseus came in, android greeted Newt and updated him on Abernathy’s condition, nothing’s new.

 ‘’The crew of the ship did their best for research apparently.’’ ‘’Some of them must be affected as well. To run all these tests.’’

 ‘’I agree with you, sir. In fact, the creature was in the lab, none of us had no idea it was there. Abernathy pointed to us then tried to get a closer look thinking it was dead… But apparently, it wasn’t.’’

 ‘’Abernathy wanted to take a closer look to an egg?’’ Newt remembering the egg picture in the files.

 ‘’No, the creature was kept in some sort of aquarium. But it had no hatch or lock so when Abernathy got close, it jumped at his face and, well.’’

 ‘’So it was alive and kept in a lab. Maybe there is a way to save Abernathy from that thing.’’ Newt got up and went to Abernathy and Theseus followed him, and Newt was surprised once more…

 ‘’Call Picquery…’’

* * *

 

 

 ‘’Where is it?’’ Tina asked. Looking at Abernathy’s empty and slightly sweaty face.

 ‘’We don’t know, that’s why we’re here.’’

 The ship’s scientist group and Tina was looking around to find… _face-bug?_ She never thought something like this when she was signing up for this job.

  _I was either here or breathing the dirty air on earth, running after thieves between buildings for some tasteless food._

 Right now, she was tip-toeing after a face-bug. She shut her mind and focus on the task at hand.

 They continued to search in silence. Tina was looking under Abernathy’s bed now. She rose and looked at the man himself. He looked asleep. Tina was about to leave when she felt something on her shoulder and she screamed when she realized what it was.

 She tried to throw it off of her desperately and somehow succeed. Then from nowhere Newt appeared and shielded her from the creature. Though it was looking very much dead now.

 Picquery went to beside creature immediately and touched it with her light. When it closed its fingers Tina jerked back reflexly and Newt shielded her even more but both of them relaxed as Picquery told them it was surely dead.

 ‘’It’s just a reflex,’’ she said and took it to the lab immediately to study it. Newt and Tina followed her after. Theseus stayed with Abernathy to examine him.

 Picquery placed the dead creature under the light and started to poke the thing’s organs. The thing’s tail and legs were wrapped in skin but apparently not all of its body. It looked like a weird spider now but the skin under its body completely removed...

 ‘’Abernathy woke up,’’ Theseus said, coming in. Looking at the creature, ‘’What are we going to do with it, ma’am?’’

 ‘’Put it on some tests first, then in a box. Make sure it’s closed.

* * *

 

 

 ‘’So, how are you feeling?’’ asked Picquery. ‘’You’ve been unconscious for a while now,’’

 ‘’I’m ok I guess… Considering an alien bug just glued itself to my face.’’ Abernathy was still sweaty and far from his usual annoying self but still. It was good to see him free from that creature.

 ‘’Who wants one last meal before going back to sleep?’’ Theseus asked and everybody including Abernathy, welcomed his idea.

* * *

 

 

 ‘’The first thing I’m gonna do when we are back is gonna eat some decent food,’’ Jacob said, eating his cereal at the same time, everybody laughed at his words.

 ‘’Well we won’t realize the journey when we are asleep again. So think of this as lunch and we’ll be back on earth for dinner honey,’’ Queenie said winking at him.

 ‘’Boo, get a room!’’ Everybody laughed at Tina.

 Everybody continued to chat and enjoy their dinner until Abernathy started to cough. ‘’What is it, buddy? The food ain’t that bad,’’ Jacob joked but Abernathy’s coughs continued with more strength.

 Abernathy started to scream in pain and jerk madly. Graves, Red and Jacob tried to stop him but Abernathy continued to his maniacally dance until his chest _explode._

 Everybody around the table froze for a moment then, blood droplets were _everywhere,_ his spasms started again before anybody could do anything and this time something  _burst out of his chest._

 

 The tiny alien stood up and looked around the table. Graves snatched a fork from the table but Theseus interfered him yelling ‘’Don’t! Don’t touch it!’’

 

 The little creature let a loud scream and ran away leaving the whole crew staring after him in horror.

* * *

 

 

 

 ‘’Anyone found it?’’ asked Picquery but she had no positive answer to her question.

 The little creature had run away and all the crew members were after him but they couldn’t find it yet.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      ‘’Nothing,’’ with Graves joining them, all of the crew were gathered around a screen, looking at Abernathy’s corpse, wrapped like a mummy.

 ‘’Anybody want to say anything?’’ Picquery asked after she locked the inner hatch. Silence didn’t come to an end so she opened the airlock and with her remaining crew, watched Abernathy’s corpse to blow into space.

* * *

 

 

 

 ‘’Just be very careful to not to touch to the tip of it,’’ Red said and touched the ceiling with the stick, a loud sound and sparks came out. ‘’Even if his skin isn’t thinner than ours this will poke him hard.’’

 ‘’And I have this, a tracking device. Detects the micro-changes in the air,’’ Newt said, holding the weird looking thing up then showing how it works.

 ‘’Alright, we will look for it as groups. Graves, you’re with Jacob and Queenie start from the bridge... Tina, Newt and Red you take the engines. I’m with Theseus.’’

 ‘’Find it and throw the bitch out to space.’’

 They all separated to their areas. Newt was holding his tracking device and Tina was holding the stick walking next to him. Red was walking behind them holding the net ready to catch it.

 ‘’I thought you and Abernathy fixed this corridor’s lights.’’ Tina held the light a little higher.

 ‘’We did. Hang on, put the light over here,’’ Red opened a fuse box with a knife. Tina watched him over his head. She was a head taller than him. She looked around tried to spot Newt in the dark. After some switches, the lights came back on.

 ‘’Nothing in this section,’’ Newt said coming back to them but stopped when he turned the other section. The device was making noise. ‘’Something is there in that cabinet.’’

 Tina held the stick more tightly and Red got ready the net. Newt walked closer to the cabinet, stepping sideways. He slowly opened it but it was Mauler who jumped out and got caught.

 Until Red just let him lose.

 ‘’What are you doing?!’’ Tina yelled at him. ‘’The device gonna catch him again!’’

 

 Red, now realized what he had done, asked, ‘’Should I go get him?’’

 ‘’Yes. Go find him. Newt and I’ll find you after we check that last section.’’ Newt and Tina continued their slow pace and Red went to the main cargo bay after Mauler.

 ‘’Kitty kitty.’’ he was walking slowly, listening to his surroundings. ‘’Kitty kitty, come on- Mauler! Where are you cat?’’

 Chains were swinging slowly making small noises. Water was dripping from the ceiling. He caught a glimpse of Mauler but before he could catch him he escaped again.

 ‘’Come here you cat.’’ He walked between engines. With a huff he took off his hat and held his face up. Letting the drops wash his face.

 He then saw where was Mauler. Watching him under a big machine.

 ‘’Hey, kitty. Come here, come.’’ The cat took one step then hissed, took back its step and he watched Red with terrified eyes.

 ‘’What is wrong with you cat?’’ Red said with anger then felt something behind him. He slowly turned around and _it_ was there.

 When others said it was big, they weren’t doing justice, it was _huge._

 Red watched it without moving a muscle. Creature bowed down his head at him and Red could see its mouth moving and another one was inside it…

 Red didn’t see the second mouth coming out, he only felt his pain and heard his scream...

 

* * *

 

 

 

 ‘’Nothing here…’’

 Theseus and Picquery were walking in silence. Picquery holding the net and light while Theseus ready with the stick in his hand.

 ‘’Ma’am look.’’ Theseus pointed with his finger. Picquery turned the light to the thing he was pointing. She would miss it if it weren’t the droid’s eyes. A reliable friend of hers since her first mission.

 Theseus hold up the thin skin. ‘’Apparently, it was here.’’ Before he could say anything Tina’s voice came from their coms, ‘’ _Alien took Red… It has grown… Became like the one in the other ship…_ ’’

 

* * *

 

 

 ‘’This is how the other ship’s crew died then,’’ Graves said. ‘’Got _pregnant_ or killed by them.’’

 ‘’You think Red is dead?’’ asked Queenie, ‘’No hope?’’

 ‘’I don’t think so,’’ Tina said, still feeling like Red’s blood dripping on her face from above.

 ‘’We can’t shoot him, his acid blood will eat right through the ship’s hull.’’ She continued, ‘’We need to throw him out.’’

 ‘’He uses the air shafts to walk around,’’ Newt said. ‘’Maybe we can use it.’’

 ‘’How?’’ Graves asked to Newt but Picquery answered him, ‘’Temperature.’’

 ‘’If he is sensitive to heat we can use to direct him to the airlock. Then throw it out to space.’’

 ‘’We can use the flamethrower to heat up the air,’’ Picquery said. ‘’But we need to walk in the air shafts.’’

 Newt rushed in ‘’I can go.’’

 ‘’ _No_ , I will.’’ said Theseus. Tina hid her relaxed breath. ‘’I can’t let any harm to humans if I have the choice. Plus it’ll be easier for me to move. You’ll stay outside and close all the hatches behind me. We will lead it to the airlock and throw it into space.’’

 

* * *

 

 

 ‘’Okay, I got a reading on you,’’ said Queenie, looking down at the small screen. ‘’It is not around yet.’’

 Queenie was leading Theseus in the shafts with her com and radar in front of her. Graves and Picquery were closing the hatches behind him. Everybody was tense waiting for Theseus to finish his job and get rid of the beast.

 ‘’You’re at the third now,’’ said Queenie. Theseus got up as high as he could and fired the flamethrower. It was getting hot. He thought it would be hot for the alien too. He found the next ladder and continued on his way down. In the deep dark, he had to use the flamethrower to see. Even for his android eyes, it was too dark.

 ‘’Any sign of him?’’ he asked. Queenie was quick to answer, ‘’No, but you’re almost done.’’

Theseus kept moving on. One more and he would be done his job.

 He was on the last floor. He was about to fire the flamethrower when Queenie’s distressed voice came in. ‘’Wait, I see movement. It came out from nowhere! It is close to you! Get out of there!’’ Queenie bellowed.

 ‘’I’m so close to be done,’’ he said but Picquery repeated Queenie and he had to obey then.

 He climbed another ladder when he felt something under his fingers. Something wet like saliva. ‘’It coming right towards you!’’ cried Queenie. Theseus turned his light to his right and before he could do anything, the alien caught him.

 ‘’THESEUS!’’ Picquery yelled but it was all silence now. Before Graves could stop her she went after Theseus to find him and if he wasn’t there finish his job for him.

 

* * *

 

 

 ‘’I say we abandon the ship,’’ Jacob said, looking at Piquery, sleeping on the bed with cables all around her body, her face and left arm wrapped in the synthetic skin because of the burns.

 ‘’Take the shuttle and just leave. Hope somebody to find us.’’

 ‘’Like the ones we found?’’ asked Graves. ‘’The shuttle is for two, it won’t keep us long. Plus Picquery needs medical attention right now.’’

 ‘’I did my best but I’m not sure she can manage to earth,’’ Newt said. ‘’ Especially in an escape shuttle. Even if we put her in sleep it could worsen her condition at this state.’’

 ‘’Then what are we gonna do? We are falling one by one!’’ said Tina. ‘’I won’t sit here and wait to be found!’’ Newt didn’t want to imagine the scene.

 ‘’I say we keep the plan going, if nobody has a better one,’’ Newt said, ‘’We may still have a chance.’’

 ‘’I can go,’’ he added.

 ‘’No way, we all saw how that turned out.’’ Tina would rather go herself than sent him.‘’It doesn’t just walk in shafts. Red wasn’t in the shafts but it still found him. Picquery was on her way back to the bridge when we found her with a broken thrower. She probably tried to defend herself but the thing broke the weapon. It burnt Picquery and chased him away.’’

 ‘’What do you suggest?’’ Graves asked.

 ‘’I say we get him out of the shafts. Find him on the cameras, close all his ways and lead him to the cargo bay. Then throw it out.’’

 ‘’How are we gonna make him leave the air shafts?’’ asked Queenie. ‘’Living food?’’

 ‘’No,’’ Graves said in a harsh voice. ‘’We will wait ready and once it gets out then we will lock the shafts behind it.’’  ‘’Then perform Tina’s plan.’’

 ‘’We need to get to the bridge then,’’ Jacob stood up, holding a hand for Queenie. Tina wondered how it would feel to always have someone to hold their hand for her.

 ‘’I’ll escort to you two,’’ Tina said checking her thrower. She needed to be careful with it, if not, there was an example.

 ‘’The air shafts can’t be closed from the bridge,’’ said Queenie. ‘’Someone needs to do it at the engines, manually.’’

 ‘’Picquery is stable right now, we can lock the door and leave. Graves and I will go to close the shafts. You take them to the bridge and contact us when the alien comes out. We will lock the hatches and meet you at the bridge.’’

 ‘’No, meet me at the bay. We need to make sure the fucker blows into space.’’

 

* * *

 

 

 Tina walked behind Jacob and Queenie, checking every corner if the alien comes behind them. They were almost there when a  loud cry filled up the air, a cat’s cry.

 Tina turned her to left and… she wished she hadn’t. She was waiting for the monster but this was equally bad. Dougle was laying with blood all over his once beautiful white fur. His chest and neck torn apart and Mauler beside him, crying for him… Poor cat. They loved each other despite everything.

 Queenie was with Tina now. Saw the whole scene closer. ‘’Come here baby.’’ she pressed the cat to her chest and cat meowed again. This brought Tina back to herself. If she didn’t want them to end up like Dougle she need to hurry.

 ‘’Come on,’’ she gripped Queenie then made her and Jacob move faster, almost running. She had to go back to Newt and Graves fast.

 

* * *

 

 

 ‘’We are in position,’’ Graves heard Queenie. ‘’I can’t see it yet.’’

 ‘’We are waiting, where is Tina?’’ he asked.

 ‘’I’m on my way!’’ Tina said breathlessly. ‘’Just left the bridge!’’

 Newt was silently waiting for Queenie or Jacob to say them close the hatches. All he wanted was all of this to be over and after that, to confess…

 ‘’GRAVES NOW!’’

 Graves and Newt closed all the hatches quickly. They finished their job and ran to join Tina at the bay.

 ’Where is it?’’ Graves asked between pants. ‘’I don’t know it just disappeared!’’ said Jacob’s terrified voice. He spoke almost after a minute, ‘’I saw it! Wait no! It’s on your-’’ but it was too late for his warning.

 

* * *

 

 

 Tina was on her way to the bay. Only 3 turns left. Graves and Newt could have arrived already. They were closer to the bay.

 She was hopeful that she will arrive without running across the creature when she heard the yells. Graves and Newt’s.

 '’TINA! Graves and Newt! Somewhere your left! They are on the blind spot, we can’t see them! Be careful!’’ she turned left and there were they. Graves trying to chase away the creature with his flamethrower without roasting Newt whose got nailed to the wall by the alien.

 Without warning creature turned to Graves, letting go Newt’s throat but to stab him from his heart with its tail.

 But Newt somehow caught the tail with an inhuman strength and made it to dig on his shoulder. Which causes a white liquid to flush out, _android blood._

 But she has to save Graves first, who is now under the monster. Tina fired the flamethrower at it but she couldn’t aim too close.

 When the creatures back and part of his head got burn, it turned to attack Tina but now it was in front of her, she fired directly at it. The creature let out a scream and ran away. Tried to go back to the shafts but when it couldn’t, just escaped from one of the doors.

 Tina ran beside Graves who is choking on his blood. His neck and part of the chin is torn apart, a large cut on his chest.

 ‘’Graves! GRAVES!’’ but Graves couldn’t answer her and before long his harsh breathing came to an end too.

 Tina let go of his body and stood up to find Newt standing as well. His right shoulder still bleeding white.

 ‘’You’re an android?!’’ it was a question already answered but Tina was still couldn’t believe it. ‘’H-How? How are you on this ship? How did you get a human identity?’’ Tina was becoming hysterical.

 Newt hold his hand up to calm her down, ‘’I can explain all of it but we need to get rid of the creature first,’’ to her silence, ‘’ _Please, you have to trust me_.’’

 Tina didn’t have many options. ‘’Fine,’’ she said.

 She talked to her com, ‘’Queenie! Jacob! Graves is dead, Newt is…’’

 ‘’I’m fine.’’ he said, mimicking’’ _No_ ’’ to Tina. ‘’Where is the creature?’’

 ‘’Heading the opposite of the bay,’’ Jacob said. ‘’What are we gonna do?’’

 ‘’Newt and I will head to the bay, make a trap or something. Make sure it’ll work. You and Queenie use the doors. Lead him to bay from the long way. Don’t let him in till I say so.’’

 ‘’Got it,’’ Queenie said.

 Tina took off her thin jacket and held it out to Newt. ‘’Take this, cover your shoulder.’’ Newt took the jacket, smiling.

 ‘’You’ll explain everything at the moment this ends.’’ Tina said and they began their run to the bay.’’

 

* * *

 

 

 ‘’I’m in my position,’’ Tina said in her EVA suit. Moving forward.

 ‘’Got it,’’ Newt said, also in an EVA suit, ‘’Jacob, open the last door.’’

 The last thing that was separating them from the alien disappeared. Newt saw it first. The creature stepped in gingerly as it is never been before. _The creature is capable of gaining experience._ He noted.

Newt started to tie himself as he continued to watch it. He was also holding a rifle, instead of a flamethrower. If they ever reach to the point of needing to use a weapon, it wouldn’t matter which one anymore.

 Tina took the remote control and opened the door of a large vehicle. The little sound made the alien show itself once more but she needed it to come to her. She took the now almost empty flamethrower and hit it to the vehicle. The loud voice got the attention of the alien.

 It spotted her then ran to her. Tina climbed the vehicle as fast as she could. She calculated her climping time but she still felt she was slow. She threw herself out to the other side at the last moment and closed both doors behind her. Alien trapped in the vehicle behind her.

 She quickly began to tie herself as she talked to the bridge, her eyes still on the alien, ‘’Open the bay door!’’

 The alien continued to hit his head against the door, Newt spotted cracks on the doors window, he aimed with his rifle.

 Jacob yelled at Tina in a distressed voice.

 ‘’Mother resists the order!’’

 Tina looked at the creature whose almost broke the vehicle and jump at her. She aimed her weapon as she yelled back Jacob from her com, ‘’Command superiority, Tina nine-zero-two-six-five, code ‘sea’ !’’

 After he wrote the code and Mother finally applied the order, Jacob realized Tina was the captain now, his superiors had long gone, his crew members and if this doesn't work, his friends too.

 For a split second, she thought it was gonna break free but then suddenly all the pressure around her dropped. Mother had opened the bay door.

 Alien was trying to break free for its life, and it _did._

 Taking strength from the vehicle it jumped at her. But Tina whose been driven away with the pressure -and being holding only by a cable- fired her spear gun and hit the creature right in the chest.

 With hit the alien floated to space.

 ‘’Close the door!’’ Tina said to her com and the doors started to close. She fell to the ground slowly as the ship’s artificial gravity pulled her down. She just let herself lie down in relief, panting.

 Newt came to her side and held out a hand for her. ‘’We did it,’’ he said, smiling.

 

* * *

 

 

 

 ‘’We are gonna sleep all the way home, honey,’’ said Jacob putting Queenie into hypersleep. ‘’See you at dinner,’’ she said smiling, before dozing off to sleep.

 Jacob went to sleep after her. Picquery had stabilized enough to move from her bed so she had been placed to her capsule first by the others.

 After everything is over they did a funeral for Graves and found Theseus and Red in the aliens nest. Theseus irreparably teared up -which Tina wished Newt wasn’t there to see- and Red, cocooned from head to toe.

 They burnt the whole thing down.

 After Jacob dove in his dreams too, Tina walked towards her own capsule and leaned on it. She turned her gaze to Newt, looked at his now repaired shoulder. _Repaired._ Tina repeated the word in her head.

 After some silence Newt jumped right into it. ‘’Have you ever heard someone named Albus Dumbledore?’’ he asked.

  _Where is that came from now?_ ‘’Yes. Famous inventor. But the company doesn’t like him I guess.’’

 '’Do you know what he is inventing?’’ asked Newt, Tina shook her shoulders and bowed down her head looking at her folded arms at her chest.

 ‘’Androids.’’ Newt said.

 Tina held her head a little higher, looked at Newt under her short curls. ‘’So you’re made by him,’’ Tina said. ‘’Doesn’t explain why and how you’re here as a ‘human’ being.’’

 ‘’Dumbledore put me and many others like me on this explore ships on purpose. He heard of that lost ship a long ago. One of his androids was part of the crew. His first one actually.’’

 ‘’His android and an officer from the crew were the only survivors. The officer told everything they’ve been through but the company didn’t believe him, and blamed the droid for malfunctioning. At least they looked that way. Dumbledore heard they were planning to get their hands on the alien life form, so they send explore ships everywhere. Hoping one of them will bring the creature to earth for studying purposes and use it for weapons.’’

 ‘’After this Dumbledore stopped producing androids for them, he left the company and started to build his androids for himself. He made fake ID’s for many of us and sent us with crews. He ordered us to make sure the creature won’t come to earth.’’

 Tina let that sink in first, ‘’You’re with us for over 3 missions,’’ she said. ‘’Ever thought to tell anybody?’’

 ‘’Only to you. After we found it.’’ Tina couldn’t helped to feel happy because of the synthetic's words but her happiness didn’t last long.

 ‘’What are you gonna do now?’’ Tina asked. ‘’I mean you did your job…’’

 ‘’Are you asking if Dumbledore’s gonna shut me down?’’

 ‘’I… well, _yes._ ‘’ Tina stammered her words. ‘’I wouldn’t want him to shut you down.’’

 Newt felt pleasure at her words, answered her smiling, ‘’Well, we will see what he will do.’’

 ‘’But you have to go to sleep now. Our way back to earth is gonna take awhile.’’

 ‘’Are you gonna spend the whole way awake?’’

 ‘’Technically, I’m always awake as long as I’m not shutted down… But no. I’ll get in a capsule as well to avoid any suspicion. After I checked everything on the ship once more. I want to be sure nothing alive is with us.’’

 Tina then remembered the dead face-bug. ‘’Didn’t you say Dumbledore’s order was to make sure it won’t arrive to earth?’’ Tina asked, confused.

 ‘’His order was to stop it arriving alive. If possible bring any information or its corpse.’’

 ‘’Are you going to take the corpse to Dumbledore?’’ Tina was starting to get suspicious of this Dumbledore guy.

 ‘’My mission was to prevent the creature from coming to earth alive. I did what I supposed to do. I’ll send a message to Dumbledore and after that it is his concern to what will happen to it.’’

 Tina didn’t say anything and shook her head. Newt was just a servant of him and could know only so much. They’ll have to wait and see what will happen indeed.

 She really didn’t want to go sleep, especially with the chance that he’s gonna be shut down when she woke up. But she couldn’t voice her thoughts at either subject, so she just got ready for hypersleep.

 ‘’Still,’’ she said, looking up at Newt from the capsule. ‘’If there is anything I can do, I mean... Maybe…’’ she didn’t want to say _Buy you from him._

 Newt supposed what was her idea but had nothing he could say to her about it. So he just said, ‘’Sleep well Tina.’’ and closed the capsule.

 ‘’Thanks,’’ Tina said. They didn’t stop looking at each other's eyes until Tina’s closed for her to go to her dream world.

 

Newt wondered if she would see him in her dreams. It was nice to think she would.

 

 


End file.
